\Butch"er\, n. [OE. bochere, bochier, OF. bochier, F.
boucher, orig., slaughterer of buck goats, fr. OF. boc, F.
bouc, a buck goat; of German or Celtic origin. See {Buck} the
animal.]
1. One who slaughters animals, or dresses their flesh for
   market; one whose occupation it is to kill animals for
   food.
2. A slaughterer; one who kills in large numbers, or with
   unusual cruelty; one who causes needless loss of life, as
   in battle. ``Butcher of an innocent child.'' --Shak.
{Butcher bird} (Zo["o]l.), a species of shrike of the genus
   {Lanius}.
Note: The {Lanius excubitor} is the common butcher bird of
      Europe. In England, the bearded tit is sometimes called
      the {lesser butcher bird}. The American species are
      {L.borealis}, or {northern butcher bird}, and {L.
      Ludovicianus} or {loggerhead shrike}. The name butcher
      bird is derived from its habit of suspending its prey
      impaled upon thorns, after killing it.
{Butcher's meat}, such flesh of animals slaughtered for food
   as is sold for that purpose by butchers, as beef, mutton,
   lamb, and pork.

\Butch"er\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Butchered}; p. pr. &
vb. n. {Butchering}.]
1. To kill or slaughter (animals) for food, or for market;
   as, to butcher hogs.
2. To murder, or kill, especially in an unusually bloody or
   barbarous manner. --Macaulay.
         [Ithocles] was murdered, rather butchered. --Ford.